10-12 Campus News

Lockdown 4.0 - we got this!

Once again the spectre of COVID-19 forced us out of the classroom and into lockdown.  Although the senior school was hit a little less than our Bluff road family, it was no doubt a shock to the system to be once again locked away from your peers and your teachers.  I can assure you all that staff and students at Sandringham College are ready, willing (unhappily) and very much able to pivot to online learning and to add value to each day.  OCL (online continuous learning) is never the easy option but I am proud of the way our community put their best foot forward and gave OCL their best shot.  For many, the trauma of the first lockdown lingered, but I know you all did your best.   Should we be forced to go again - we will be ready!

A day without dancing is a day wasted.

Although we have had to delay our dance showcase for 2021, I know that a huge amount of work has gone into its rehearsal, and indeed continues to do so.  A group who can only be described as the prophets of a bygone generation, the Village People once said - " You can't stop the music - nobody can stop the music". This is even more applicable to Dance at Sandy. This show will go on. 

High School Musical

With rehearsals back, the road to our 2021 production has been secured once again.  This will be a massive effort from cast, crew and staff in the coming months and they should know that we are all behind them.  

As Zac Efron once said: " Personally, I was never the cool kid. I was always sort of a bookworm. I would just like to be more like Troy (from HSM), because he’s so cool."  I am not really sure what Zac meant by that snippet of wisdom but I know that 'Troy' would have said something way cooler.

High School Musical is scheduled for September 2021 - I can't wait.

A not so 'common' room

The year 12 student leaders have canvased both the school council and the Principal team to try and establish a year 12 common road for the remainder of 2021. Given the lack of connectiveness that recent times have brought to our shores, we have agreed to free up some space for our current year 12 cohort to enjoy for the remainder of the year.  It will be a space for them to connect and destress.  We hope to have the common room online for the start of term 3 and I know that they will look after the space.

Darcy Keating (Year 11) is ready to represent...

This year Darcy Keating has been selected for the Victorian State Schoolboys Under 18s Rugby Squad in 2021. The current squad is currently 28 people large with the aim to bring 25 on tour. While Darcy has not played Rugby for long, his dedication to his athleticism and skills have allowed him to become part of this elite team.

Through this path Darcy will have the opportunity to participate in a country wide tournament which is used for selection into the Australian Schoolboys side. The Victorian Schoolboys have had a long linage of producing quality rugby players that have contributed to Victorian, Overseas and International Rugby. Some past names include: Pete Samu (Current Wallaby), Dan Yakopo (Past rugby 7s), Rodney Esekia (Current Manu Samoa), Christian Lealiifano (Past wallabies), John Ulugia (French Rugby legend)

We at Sandringham College wish Darcy all the best in his pursuit of Excellence. 

Changes to VCAL (a note from VCAA)

Senior secondary certificate reform

Victoria is transforming the delivery of senior secondary education with the introduction of a single senior secondary certificate that will offer greater access to quality vocational and applied learning pathways for all students. The senior secondary education reforms aim to provide access to education and training that is relevant, engaging and that delivers in-demand skills for the future world of work, ensuring that students can access education that leads to employment.

Next year students will still be able to enrol in either the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) or the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). The following year, in 2023, VCAL students will be enrolled in the new VCE Vocational Specialisation or the new foundation pathways certificate which will be introduced to replace Foundation VCAL.

The VCE Vocational Specialisation will be recognised internationally, be valued by employers and will build on the strengths of VCAL including providing:

• flexible timetables that allow students to study at school, TAFE and work
• opportunities to experience real-life workplaces
• subjects that will build students skills and prepare them for life after school
• greater access to high quality VET learning, either in school, a neighbouring school or a local TAFE

The new certificates are part of a suite of 38 reforms recommended in the Review into Vocational and Applied Learning Pathways in Senior Secondary Schooling (the Firth Review) to lift the quality and perception of vocational education and help more students access high-quality applied learning programs.

Course selection in 2022

We are supporting all students in their course selections for 2022 and are providing the following advice and information to students considering a VCAL pathway.

If students are studying VCAL in 2022 they will transfer into the VCE Vocational Specialisation with credit for completed VCAL subjects in 2023. In 2023, students will continue to study Senior VCAL subjects in the new certificate as part of the implementation process. At the end of 2023, these students will be awarded the VCE Vocational Specialisation if they meet the requirements. 

Students who are studying Foundation VCAL over multiple years, including in 2022, will transfer into a new foundation pathways certificate in 2023 with credit for completed subjects. These students will study the new foundation subjects and graduate with the foundation pathways certificate. 

This approach provides assurance and clarity to current Year 10 students some of whom will be among the first cohort to receive a VCE Vocational Specialisation certificate in 2023.

The following diagram sets out the senior secondary pathways for students commencing the VCE or VCAL in 2022.